Cheerful little Spanish in Suburbia

Sutton is one of those suburban towns that has given it all up to shopping and the motor car. The one-way system forms a wide, multi-lane race track in the middle of which are the last vestiges of a High Street that now resembles an outdoor shopping mall.

As you do your laps, trying to find access to the pedestrianised section and somewhere to park, you will pass a police station that displays quite the most intriguing banner in Sutton. 'Thieves beware,' it says, 'Smartwater is here.' What can this possibly mean?

Perhaps Smartwater is the new 'zero tolerance' police commissioner who has dedicated his future to making the streets of Sutton safe - 'Don't worry, m'lady, Smartwater will teach those hoods a thing or two!'

Meanwhile, next door to Safeways and fronting the High Street, you'll find a cheerful little Spanish restaurant called Los Hermanos. The brothers set up as a cafe some 12 years ago, so they have probably watched Sutton change around them, and they may even know Smartwater personally. Since then it's evolved into a restaurant, and a happy one at that, even if the decor is busy enough to make you blink.

Ransack your mind for every possible Spanish cliche and you'll find the charming version at Los Hermanos: tinkling indoor fountains, acres of tiles, flamenco dancer dolls, a cold cabinet that looks like a boat, hams, wine sacks, miniature barrels - there is even a stuffed bull's head, complete with a name plaque setting out the circumstances of his demise in the ring.

There is a long tapas menu, but you should really take a look at the a la carte.

Set aside dishes like solomillo à la mostaza (smoked salmon slices sandwiched between sliced beef fillet and a wholegrain mustard sauce) and turn your attention to the 'sugerencias del chef'.

These dishes come with a very reassuring note - 'all dishes served for two people. Please allow 45 minutes for cooking'. There are some very good things here. So try a half bottle of decent Manzanilla and some jamon while they cook your dinner from scratch.

One option is arroz caldoso (shellfish and fish), another is arroz negro (a Catalan dish - blackened rice with squid and prawns), but go for the simple option - paella mixta. This is very good indeed.

Overlook the fact that the prawns are frozen (Sutton is some way from the sea) and concentrate on decent clams, mussels, chunks of chicken and the perfectly cooked rice, everything lifted by a decent belt of saffron. The other star dish is the marmita - this is a slow-cooked stew, made with either lamb shanks or chicken.

Marmita is an Andalusian dish and it is laden with Moorish flavours - there's ginger, garlic, sweet potatoes and a touch of chilli. You'll also find raisins and onions, and ordinary potatoes that have been cooked in the juices. This dish is a winner, tasting aromatic and exotic, rich and satisfying.

The wine list here is unaggressive - a bottle of Muga Riserva for £17.50 is grand value - and the service is friendly. What's more Los Hermanos is probably Commissioner Smartwater's favourite restaurant.

Los Hermanos
29 High Street Sutton, SM11 DJ